Google to resume street mapping after privacy talks

GOOGLE IS to resume its Streetview mapping in towns and cities around Ireland after discussion with data privacy regulators.

Google’s cars, equipped with cameras, low-level radar and GPS technology, will take to Irish roads again next week, snapping pictures of public roads.

Google took the cars off the road in May and contacted data protection authorities when it was revealed that its cars had collected data sent over wireless networks in homes and businesses in the areas the cars were mapping.

The company claimed such data was gathered inadvertently.

The data was deleted and independently verified as having been destroyed.

The cars are now free to carry on capturing images for the 3D mapping service.

The images will be used to enhance Google’s mapping service, which includes Google Maps and Google Earth, with images that give panoramic views of city streets.

Announced last year, Streetview initially took in five Irish cities. However, Google’s website contains a guide to where the Streetview cars are mapping, and areas such as Newbridge, Co Kildare, Carrickmacross in Co Monaghan and Killarney, Co Kerry, are listed.

“The Wi-Fi data collection equipment has been removed from our cars in each country and the independent security experts Stroz Friedberg have approved a protocol to ensure any Wi-Fi-related software is also removed from the cars before they start driving again,” a posting on Google’s European Public Policy blog said yesterday.

The company said it would resume the mapping project in Norway, South Africa and Sweden, as well as Ireland.

The cars will no longer collect Wi-Fi information, but capture images only.

The Streetview service is already up and running in selected cities around the world, including London, Milan and Boston.

However, concerns have been raised by privacy groups and individuals about the level of detail being captured by Google’s cameras.

A Google representative said there are procedures in place to facilitate the removal of images from the service where required.

Individuals’ faces and vehicle registration plates are blurred from the images.

Google is also planning to add further countries to the Streetview service over time.